


Peas in a Pod

by SaraJaye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Huddling For Warmth, Katie ships Keith/Matt, Keith is an honorary Holt, Power failure, Sharing a Bed, Snowed In, mention of bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 16:58:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16371527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Keith and the Holt siblings enjoy some quality time when the power goes out.





	Peas in a Pod

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of an AU I've been playing out where Keith became friends with the Holts pre-Kerberos!

"I think we need another blanket." Katie wiggles her toes. "This one's too small!"

"Put some socks on." Matt smiles and rolls his eyes at her across Keith, who's comfortably sandwiched between the two of them. It's been a year since a snowstorm stranded Keith and half his class at the Holt house, where Matt and Katie dragged him into Matt's room to watch movies and have a popcorn fight after Keith's classmates made it clear they didn't want him around.

Every day he's more and more glad those kids pushed him away. Matt and Katie _get_ him, they know what it feels like to be picked on or whispered about, they don't mind that he's no good at jokes, or when he lets Gunther hog all his attention during movie or video game nights.

Tonight _was_ supposed to be a movie night, but the snow got so heavy it knocked out the power, including the heat. So they're all huddled sideways in Matt's bed, because there's no way all three of them would fit the regular way. Keith's got his knees pulled to his chest, Matt's wearing socks, and Katie's still wiggling her bare toes.

"I don't like sleeping with socks on! It's too fuzzy," she says. "Matt, get another blanket."

"Why don't you get it?"

"I'm short! I can't reach them." Katie stubbornly presses closer to Keith. "You're tall, and you're our big brother. That means you get to get us things like blankets and cocoa and chocolate chip cookies!"

"Matt, you don't have to," Keith says. "I'll handle this." He's not that much taller than Katie, but he can probably reach the blankets. Matt pulls him back down before he can even stand, though, and Katie practically jumps into his lap.

"Nope! You're the guest," Matt says, tucking the blanket around him. " _We_ will get everything we need, you just sit back and-"

The door opens just then. Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe Mr. and Mrs. Holt (Sam and Colleen, he corrects himself, they insisted he call them by their first names) had overheard their kids arguing. But Mr. Holt's carrying a tray of hot cocoa, while Mrs. Holt drapes a bigger blanket across them. Gunther bounds in a moment later, jumping onto the bed and curling up beside Katie.

"We thought you could use this," she says. "It's about as cold in here as it is outside!" Keith gratefully takes one of the mugs, letting it warm his hands.

"Thank you."

"Mom, you and Dad are lifesavers," Katie says. "Keith was just about to go get this stuff himself!"

"Not in this house," Mrs. Holt playfully scolds. "Guests aren't allowed to run errands, especially when they get cold as easily as you." She tucks the blankets around Keith a bit more. Keith's never handled the cold well, and according to the Garrison's height and weight chart he could stand to gain a few pounds. Katie and Matt take their own mugs, Gunther curls into a furry ball, and Mr. Holt smiles.

"Look at the four of you. Like peas in a pod, all lined up." His wife laughs softly, giving the dog a pat and tucking the end of the blanket around him.

"You and those peas, Sam. They're much cuter than any vegetable!"

"Aww, but I like that," Katie says. "Peas in a pod. I mean, we're always together anyway. Usually. Not when they're at the Garrison, or when I'm giving them a little alone time." She grins, winking at them. Matt blushes, Keith feels his own face going hot, and Sam and Colleen either pretend it went over their heads or just. Accept it.

Katie's been doing that a lot lately, he notices. In the beginning she'd pout and feel let down if she couldn't hang out with them, and Keith felt bad because he knew she didn't have any other friends. And maybe had a crush on him.

Katie still didn't have any friends of her own, but she had plenty of other excuses to duck out and give them their "alone time." Which Keith was perfectly fine with, Matt was easily his best friend. But Katie clearly thought _something_ was going on and he didn't know what.

"I like it, too," he muses, sipping his drink.

"Yeah, better than the Three Musketeers," Matt adds. "I mean, they're cool and all, but us three, we're all about space!" He pauses. "In which case, should we be three stars in a constellation?"

"Nonsense. See, dried peas are one of the less appreciated components of space, and the three of you tend to go unappreciated by certain people," Sam explains. "But you're all very important. Unsung heroes who may not _feel_ like they shine as brightly as stars, but have a shine unique to them."

"Oh, you, always waxing poetic about those peas," Colleen teases, "but he's right. My children are the brightest stars in this galaxy, and Keith is the most beautiful diamond in the rough." Keith blushes even more hotly, trying to hide his face as best he can while still holding his mug. He's still not used to being compared to nice things.

" _Our_ diamond in the rough." Matt puts a hand on his shoulder. "Even if he suddenly becomes Mr. Popular tomorrow, we're not sharing him!"

"Yeah! He made the kids at school stop calling me names and stealing my dessert," Katie says proudly. "They still don't wanna talk to me, but at least they're leaving me alone." Colleen smiles approvingly.

"Keith's been as good for you as you are for him." She pets Gunther before giving each of them a kiss on the forehead. "You call us if you need anything else, but don't stay up too late. It _is_ technically a school night."

"Mom, there's no way all this snow's gonna melt tomorrow, even if the power comes back," Matt says. "We'll try, though."

Sam and Colleen take their leave, and Matt smiles, wrapping his free arm around Keith.

"So what should we do? The power's gonna be out for a while, and I don't wanna wear out the batteries on the 3DS."

"Let's make up our own video game!" Katie suggests. "Or imagine what it'd be like if we got sucked into Pokemon or Killbot Phantasm!" Keith and Matt share a secret smile, Keith remembering a discussion they'd had ages ago.

"I think there's room on Team Starseeker for a third," he says. Katie squeals.

"I wanna be a mage!" Matt finds a notebook and pencil, writing as fast as they can imagine. The pages fill up as Keith imagines a campfire, the stars and the moon shining above them, the sounds of the night.

Having these two as friends is the best adventure a guy could ask for.


End file.
